Bengals’ Whitworth Defends His Part of the Fight That Got Him Ejected

During the Bengals win over the Jaguars yesterday, there was a nasty exchange between Bengals OL Andrew Whitworth and Jags DT John Henderson. There were punches thrown and ejections made, but there was also some eye-gouging from Henderson that could/should see him fined or suspended.

For his part in the brawl, Whitworth defended himself:

"We had gotten in a tussle after a run play and he came up and took a shot at the back of my head. Levi (Jones) was screaming at the refs for a flag. And when he stood up, he pushed me again in my facemask, and the ref still didn't throw anything," Whitworth said.
"So on the next play, he wanted me, I wanted him, and he kind of 'swam' me. I just pushed him past the quarterback and he fell to the ground, but he held onto my facemask and ripped my helmet off."

After that, well, you can see on the video above.

Henderson will most likely be fined for this incident but will he be suspended? It was plain to see that he went after Whitworth's eyes and word is that he was smiling about it as he was escorted off the field.

There is also something else odd about these ejections: the penalties. On that play, the Bengals gained 23 yards on a 3rd-and-11 to gain the first down. However, the offsetting penalties on Whitworth and Henderson caused the play to be negated and the down replayed.

Henderson was flagged during the play for illegal use of the hands when he pulled Whitworth's helmet off. Both were penalized and ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct after the play was over. Jacksonville had double the penalties called on that play but Cincinnati suffered the most from it. I don't see how Whitworth's penalty would erase the Bengals first down if it came after the play was over?

Henderson's illegal use of the hands flag should have affected the play (the Bengals would then decline it and keep the first down) and then the two ejection penalties that occurred after the play are offsetting.